


illegal is always faster

by Prinzenhasserin



Category: Gokusen - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Gen, High School, Law School, Yakuza
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-24
Updated: 2016-02-24
Packaged: 2018-05-23 01:40:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6100634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prinzenhasserin/pseuds/Prinzenhasserin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sawada Shin graduates from Tokyo University's law school. That is probably the least interesting thing about him.<br/>His high school rival, Uesugi Ritsu, who went to the better school and is now a fellow student of law, is unwittingly along for the ride.</p>
            </blockquote>





	illegal is always faster

**Author's Note:**

> I’m basing this on the manga. Therefore the guy from the rival school is called Uesugi Ritsu 律. The name Ritsu comes from a historical criminal code called Ritsuryo.
> 
> Sawada Akira isn’t a jerkwad in this.   
> Well, not more than any of the other characters, but this is from the point of view of Uesugi Ritsu, who maybe sees a lot of himself in that person, and all of the characteristics he doesn’t like in himself.  
> I am (maybe) working on other stories in the same universe, so maybe Akira will find himself?
> 
> It’s terrible why have i decided to write in tiny fandoms do you know how long it took me to find Shin's brother's name?

The sakura is blooming early on Hongou campus of Tokyo University. It’s lovely weather, of course — a soft breeze is playing with the gingko leaves, and catching the occasional pink blossom, whisking it away. The pink clashes horribly with Sawada’s hair, but nobody beside Uesugi himself seems to care overly much. At least not the swarm of girls that surround Sawada whenever he is standing there, waiting for someone.

Uesugi isn’t bitter, really. What reasons does he have to feel insecure in Sawada’s presence? Absolutely none — they are both from respectable families, studying a respectable profession at the most respectable university. The fact that Sawada is in love with his high-school teacher, wants to be a Yakuza lawyer, and looks like a cross between hobo and communist, well. It should mean that Uesugi comes up on top automatically, right?

Sawada extricates himself from the gaggle of young women, and it’s amazing how he can look so laissez-faire after the exam. Uesugi himself is a bundle of nerves, adrenaline pounding away and searching for an outlet — any outlet. Neither the sakura, nor the girls, nor Sawada’s unending calm is providing him with one. Sometimes he wonders why he’s even friends with the ass. Sawada never seems to work for anything at all, and yet it comes to him effortlessly.

"What’s up, Uesugi?" Sawada has ambled over and is absently gazing towards the main street.

Uesugi follows his gaze but can’t see anything of note, "I don’t know. How did you fare with the exam?"

He watches as Sawada stretches himself and yawns.

"You really want to talk about school right now?" Sawada asks, "You’re always so giddy after a final. You wanna go for a fight? Or a fuck."

Uesugi splutters. "Uhh," he stammers, then catches himself and says provocatively, "Why, you offering?" This is the most Sawada has talked this year — not that Uesugi has been more open to chat. They have been studying for their last final exams after all. He is so done with law school, like you would not believe.

"Nah," Sawada answers cheerfully, "At least not the latter. But I’m always up for a fight."

Uesugi is not used to him being this relaxed at all. "Are you high?" he asks, vaguely offended. Even Sawada wouldn’t right before an exam, right?

Sawada is looking at him faintly amused and his raised eyebrow seems to communicate: _You’re so cute when you are flustered_ , but Uesugi is over the jerk — has been over him for close to five years now, not the least bit because he’s seen him moon over his high-school teacher exactly like pre-teen does over her first crush. The mystery is really out of this friendship.

"Where are you planning to go?" Uesugi asks, "I have nothing planned. To be quite honest, I thought that final would be the end of my life."

Sawada snorts, then he turns and stretches again. "The beginning of the year fights at Shirokin are scheduled today. I thought about dropping by and betting on some potentials. You coming?"

They start moving toward Yushima station, and Uesugi asks idly, "They schedule fights at Shirokin?" It's not that he's surprised, exactly. It's more like this seems very elaborate for Shirokin?

Sawada shrugs. This is the gesture of disinterest that can mean anything from, _I don’t want to tell you_ , to _They’re not exactly scheduled, if you catch my drift,_ to _I forgot the question_. Sawada is a deep person.

It is a beautiful day for a fight, he has to admit. The sakura blooms, the sun is shining, and he has probably passed his final exam with flying colors. He might as well extend his cultural horizon a bit.

* * *

"There’s usually a poster at the bulletin board," the ridiculously buxomed teacher explains. Sawada called her Fujiyama-sensei, and unlike Yankumi, that seems to be her real name. "We try to take it down as often as we can, but 2 minutes later, there’s another one up." She shrugs. "What can you do."

Uesugi is mostly gay, but those boobs are distracting to say the least. Clearing his throat, he asks: "So you are trying to stop the fights?"

Sawada smirks. Fujiyama-sensei crows with a booming laugh (it’s vaguely frightening) and says, "Oh no, me? I’m placing bets."

Uesugi looks around at the parking lot behind the school — at any other school it would look like festival day, filled with people of all ages and school uniforms. There are large banners, with the names of classes and students apparently. Some of the artists are also eternally represented on the walls behind the parking lot; and the garbage disposal; and some of the trees, and frankly every spot that could possibly be painted.

Some of the spectators are much older than the students, the betting is quite obviously running rampant.

 _Are they going to see that other teacher?,_  he asks himself, while watching Fujiyama-sensei laugh and giggle like a strange mixture between crazy cat lady, and sexy kitten. His brain might have leaked out during his finals. Or it's this outrageous school.

Surrounded by ugly bruisers, people in the most ridiculous hair colour and styles, awaiting a brutal round of match-ups, he finally relaxes. Sitting on the rather wet grass, next to Sawada and a teacher telling the most outrageous stories, his jittery nerves calm, and he relaxes.

* * *

It’s a mistake to relax. As soon as he concentrates on the fight (it’s a blond spiky haired guy with a bandana against a guy who seems to wear shorts as a hat, but it might be women panties, he's afraid to look closer), there’s a baseball flying at his face, and a tiny guy with hair flapping all over his face comes running for… Sawada?

"Shin!" he says, breathing hard and almost falling over his own words, "You gotta help! There’s a guy in front who says if we don’t lettim in right now, he’s gonna get a warrant!"

Sawada is already up, and Uesugi doesn’t wait, but follows him right away. The route through the front apparently goes through a window — it’s open, luckily, because Sawada takes it on a full run and vaults over the sill in a crouch to land on his feet inside.

Uesugi and tiny guy look at each other. Tiny guy scrambles up the window sill, and Uesugi - like any sane person - takes the additional 5 meter walk-around through the back exit.

Inside, he can just see Sawada jumping over the stair railings, some of them broken, and in one particular instance sticking out of the plaster wall with a fake skull implanted like a macabre warning. It... leaves an impression.

"That’s Reita’s!" tiny guy shouts at him in passing. "We’ve hung it there for the fight. It’s a warning against the second years, you know."

Uesugi doesn’t know, but apparently coming here as Sawada’s companion has given him the right to secret knowledge. As soon as he follows the fast little runt into the entrance hall, he knows why.

There hangs a double life-sized oil painting of Sawada Shin. In big letters beneath it says: Toudai Entrance Top Passer(19th year of the Heisei era, 2007). He’s appalled. At his school, there's a tiny list of people going to the top schools, but it vanishes after two years.

No wonder Sawada has such an intelligence complex.

* * *

 

Outside and in the front, Shirokin looks like a pretty normal high school (He’s never making the mistake of thinking that again.) There are no flashes of red light, and Uesugi can’t help but be relieved. It’s one thing to go to a brawl for Sawadas sake, quite another to get into a police interrogation regarding fighting in public and betting on the results. He’d have to lie and say he was investigating Sawada’s mysterious ways, and then where would their friendship be?

"Hello Shin," the police officer says, and why does everyone call Sawada by his given name, dammit. Why does everyone in Tokyo know who he is?

"What are you doing here?" Shin asks, sounding quite harsh.

"I could ask you the same question. There’s been calls about a disturbance at Shirokin. The Chief of Police was understandingly concerned, but only send me to check out if it was…" the man trails of, as if saying the rest of the sentence out loud pained him, "You know, Yakuza."

There's a silent stand-off, until Uesugi blurts out accidentally, "How does the local police know about your secret love affair with your high-school teacher?"

Tiny guy gasps, then says revolted: "No way, Shin-sama is cool!"

"Former high-school teacher," Sawada mutters under his breath. Uesugi takes note that he doesn't deny the love affair.

"Sama?" The police officer repeats incredulously. 

"He’s our best sempai! There’s a painting in the lobby of his face."

"There’s a painting—" The police officer repeats again, then looks to Sawada, "Really?"

"And you said I’d never amount to anything," Sawada murmurs. Sometimes Uesugi doesn’t want to hit him, but he’s always been a bit rough on his friend and this strange police officer seems easily distracted by Sawada, so he has absolutely no problem throwing him under the bus.

"It’s right inside. Want to take a look?" Uesugi smiles his angelic smile. Like it should, it perplexes the police officer. 

"No— I can’t. I’m on duty —"

"It’s literally just inside."

Uesugi wrangles the police officer inside. He’s especially pleased by Sawada’s pleading look, and his dramatic opening of the door with just one hand. 

And there Sawada is, in all his glory.

Uesugi has to admit the lighting on painting from the front door is much more impressive than sneaking in from the back. It highlighted the at least 6 foot tall painting in all the right spots (especially Sawada’s high cheek bones). His hair is lit in a fiery red halo, and Uesugi loves everything about it.

"Good Lord," the police officer says.

There’s silence as they let the painting into their hearts. Uesugi watches in glee as Sawada claps his hands over his eyes in despair.

Then, the police officer says, "Has father seen this?"

Sawada shrugs.

"Wait," Uesugi says, and it all comes together in his mind. "You’re related?"

"Yes," the police officer replies, "Sawada Akira, at your pleasure."

Uesugi squints. They do look suspiciously similar, but Akira looks — boring. Stiff, in a way. Really uncomfortable in that police uniform. Really not all that attractive, too.

"Sawada," he finally says, "you have my condolences." He looks at his friend again. "I’m calling you Shin from now on."

Sawada shrugs.

"Yoo-hoo!", a woman says from their left, and Uesugi flinches violently, at least he doesn’t shriek like tiny guy does. "A young police officer!" Fujiyama-sensei smiles like the cat that got the cream. He’s waiting for her to pinch Sawada’s brother in the cheeks, instead she winks and says, "If only I had met you when I was younger…" Then she laughs like a rabid old lady with her hand in front of her mouth.

They stand around and wait while Sawada's brother sniffs around all the corners. The inspection of far of corners for lingering students, maybe drugs, or weapons, is getting ridiculous, and Uesugi starts to get belligerent on Shirokin’s behalf — is reputation really this important? He may even feel a tinge of guilt inside of him, but thinks better of it. It’s probably indigestion anyway.

What annoys him the most, is the tenseness and anxiety coming from Shin, who sat through all the criminal code lectures cool as a cucumber.

Half an hour later, when they arrive in the back yard the area is cleared, even cleaned, of anything not trash, or naturally occurring.

A single white flag, professing a Samejima-boss the greatest of all, is hanging from a lamp post. It smells suspiciously like pop corn. Any of the people responsible about clearing out this fast would have a lot of legal companies clamouring for their employment, Uesugi thinks. Too bad.

* * *

 "I don’t like your brother," he says, when they are done and ready to leave. 

"It’s mutual," Shin replies, then hesitates. "Well, it’s complicated."

"Family usually is." They walk back to the student dorms in B passing several traffic lights, when Uesugi asks, "Didn’t you say he’s working as a public prosecutor?"

"Yeah," Shin answers, "he helps out dear daddy whenever he asks because he rolls over for power. I heard several people talk about him being slanted for public office in the police department. My mom hopes he’ll be Chief Superintendent when he’s 50."

"Urgh," more than that Uesugi cannot express, "your brother is so boring."

"You know, you reminded me of him," Sawada says, and then laughs at the grimace he makes. "No, it’s true," he adds, "More manipulative and less goody-two-shoes, but—" he interrupts himself. 

Uesugi takes pity on him. "The office of public prosecutors is going to be full of jerkwads like him. And you wanna propose to me."

Sawada looks at him with big eyes. "I had no idea of your feelings for me~" Uesugi cannot help himself and punches him in the shoulder. Of course, Shin doesn’t have the decency to stumble.

"Wouldn’t it be better to have a friend sitting in the prosecutors office?"

Sawada shrugs.

"You’re an idiot, Shin," Uesugi says, and he feels exasperation with his entire being. "I was literally named for a criminal codex. You are trying to corrupt a criminal prosecutor in the 5th generation, instead of cultivating that friendship and using it for your own good, like blackmailing me when I’m in office, or asking for favours I have to grant. You are so much of an idiot, that you have me contemplating legalising a criminal empire with you! We took all of the same classes! This is like —"

Sawada shrugs. "It was just a thought."

"I want nothing to do with Yankumi!"

Shin glares at him. "You can’t have her anyway."

"I don’t want her, anyway."

From behind them there appears an arm on each side of them, holding them in a vice grip chokehold. "Are you fighting again?" the cheerful voice of the aforementioned Yankumi appears. "I thought you were friends! Is this about a girl?"

Uesugi says, simultaneously with Shin’s appalled "No!", "Yes!" They glare at each other.

"I heard you had your last exam today!" Yankumi continues, as if they hadn’t said anything. "So I came to invite you to dinner at my house!"

"Me too?" Uesugi asks surprised.

"Any friend of Shin is welcome any time!"

* * *

The main house of the Yakuza group is … weird, for a lack of better word. Uesugi has been flashed by more than one fundoshi, been served by a guy that wouldn’t look out of place as a statist on a horror movie set, and been accosted by a really weird dog. 

He’s been mellowed out by the warm sake they keep filling into his bowl, and by the truly tremendous amount of food. If he didn’t know better, he’d say they were bribing him, but he’s seen those guys in action: There's absolutely no way that they plan this far ahead.

"And what do you wanna do after graduation?" the guy that looks the most normal asks, while sharpening his knife.

"Uhm," Uesugi says, desperately looking for an escape. "Shin wants me to help him revolutionise criminal justice from the other side."

"I asked about you, not Shin."

There's too much sake in his blood, and he feels like he would be able to float away. His family is far away, and Shin who can just shrug of generations of conditioning is sitting next to him, having intense discussions with the Yakuza.

"I want to keep my friends," he confesses. "Also, I want to look into the mirror and see me, not the generations before me. And I also don’t want to be boring."

"Ahh, I never knew you cared," Shin says with a loop-sided grin.

"You gotta do what you gotta do.", the bruiser says, and chugs the sake back like a boss.

Uesugi is drunk, and also cannot believe that he’s gonna follow Shin wherever they go. It must be love. 

That sounds — eh. Weird. But after all, a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do.

(When the exam results come out — Sawada is on spot 9, Uesugi on spot 10 — before he even calls his parents, he gets a picture of himself bawling on the shoulder of the Kumi’s second in command. The caption? I hereby blackmail you into working with me. Strangely, he would have, anyway.)

 

**Author's Note:**

> While some of the facts about Tokyo university are real and can be researched, my Japanese doesn’t go much further than "Hello," "No problem," "Are you going to eat that?" and "Fuck you, bastard," and the other resources for researching university life are lacking in detail and/or are horribly outdated.   
> I couldn’t even find out how long lawyers generally attend school. 
> 
> My best guess is about 3 years? (which sounds weird to me, because I’m mostly familiar with the American system with 2 years of pre-law, and then 3 years of law, i think; and the German one (4 1/2 years, plus two years internship. so the actual date is probably somewhere between 2009 and 2012) Though I found out that Tudou recently changed their academic year from April to September. 
> 
> There might or might not be dorms on campus (different sources say differently).


End file.
